Coming of Age
by Faerylyte
Summary: Sarah discovers her family’s secrets, and must now deal with the aftermath of the Labyrinth, and her family’s desire to marry her off now that she’s come of age.
1. Prologue

**Title:** Coming of Age  
**Summary:** Sarah discovers her family's secrets, and must now deal with the aftermath of the Labyrinth, and her family's desire to marry her off now that she's come of age.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Labyrinth. All characters associated with the movie belong to Jim Henson and whoever else has rights to them, and I make no money off of this.

**Prologue**

"You have been defeated; you have no right to make demands of me." The human woman regarded the arrogant fae, her moss green eyes lit with challenge.

It was simple truth that he had no power over her. What the woman failed to realize was that he knew what her weakness was and he determined that this mortal would learn her place.

"It's not a demand I make but a choice I offer. Marry me. Marry me, or the wrath of mine will fall heavily upon your bloodline," the fae threatened; for he was sorely tested by the shame inflicted upon him and her presumptuous manner struck heavily at his already wounded pride. And the human woman grew troubled for she loved her family even more deeply than she hated the fae that now haunted her. Cold and impassive, like a beautiful and glittering statue, he waited for the woman's decision.

"Would I be allowed to visit my family if I were to return to the Underground with you?" she bit her bottom lip, disturbed that she was even contemplating giving into his outrageous demand.

"No. You will never see them again. I would imagine that their continued existence would please you enough. They would have a chance to live, to die in peace."

"If I agree to marriage I have your word that no one of my blood will ever come to harm through your actions?"

"You have my word."

She regarded the beautiful, inhuman creature before her who seemed so determined to have her hand. He couldn't possibly want her for any reason other than revenge for it was well know that the fae were tricksy things with no sense of compassion or ability to love. Still she couldn't stand the thought of such malign magicks being turned against her beloved family. So with a heavy heart the young woman bowed her head.

"Very well. I will come with you." The fae gave a razor smile, and swept her away to his home and made her his bride.

The human woman performed her duty, maintaining his house and accepting her husband's attentions. In return she wanted for nothing and was provided with gowns and jewels, and all of the pretty little baubles her heart could desire. She grew resigned to her lot in life, but never happy. And so it was after over a century of living within the walls of her lord husband that she found herself with child. As she grew round it was as though a fog began to lift from her countenance and she began to once again see the world around her as she had regarded it when she first arrived within the realm. As the birth of her child drew near she began to grow a quietly frantic fear of what would befall her child in such a frozen world.

Upon the birth of her baby, a little girl, her mind grew sick with grief at the thought of what would happen to her child upon coming of age. Already her lord husband was speaking of marriage contracts that could be arranged for their child. In a fit of madness the still young woman took as many jewels and keepsakes as she could carry in her pockets, and gathering the babe she fled. Using the magic that had flowed into her body after so many years of living Underground she managed to tear open a hole in a weak spot of the fabric between the realms and fled back to her own world Aboveground.

Overwhelming was the discovery that the world she once knew was so changed. For in the time she had lived in the Underground, centuries had passed in her home realm. Her husband had spoken nothing less than the truth when he informed her she would never see her loved ones again.

The not quite human woman knew it would not be safe to stay in the land where her husband held power, and so she fled across the waters to another country, a new country. It was a struggle for the woman to regain her place in the world she no longer recognized, but she was nothing if not headstrong and she soon found herself adapting to her life in this modern mortal realm. She changed her name and that of her child, and eventually fell in love with a man who asked for her hand in marriage. He was a good man who treated her daughter as his own, not caring that she didn't belong to him.

The young woman eventually began to age once more, and settled quite happily into the life she had chosen for herself and her child. It was a good life. For all that her child would not have money and jewels and fancy things her life would be rich with love and joy. It was a good life, a better life than she could have hoped for among the fey. The woman grew old quickly, much more quickly than she could have imagined since she no longer had access to the life magic of the Underworld to protect her. She grew old, but with a peaceful heart she passed away, knowing that it was a good life for her child.

It should have been a good life and would have, but for the fact that her daughter somehow inherited the haughty demeanor of her fickle birth father. She had the instinct for mischief and a callous disregard for anyone who wasn't advancing her own position in life. The girl was not one for simple pleasures, always she looked for pretty clothes, and shiny jewels, and status within the world. Her own impetuous nature became her downfall, and she found herself married and with a child before she had ever fulfilled her dreams of fame. And she was happy for a time until her fey nature overwhelmed her, and she left to pursue her forgotten dreams.

And so it was that her daughter, driven by instincts she could not understand and lost in a world where nothing would ever quite feel right was drawn into games of fantasy and dress up. Hidden behind eyes as green as those of her grandmother was a fierce will that wrapped around a lonely heart begging for a place to belong, and she found solace in her stories where she searched for the words that would one day show her how to ask for what she needed. It was this that led to the girl discovering the book that would lead her to her Labyrinth of dreams and the adventures she had been seeking all of her life.

But the price of her dreams was her baby brother, a price she was unwilling to pay to keep them. And so the girl and her brother were returned to their home after she had fulfilled the terms to save her brother. So it was that the girl herself once more in the human world. Unbeknownst to her the time in the Labyrinth has awakened some hidden part of her soul, a part that called out to the magic of the faery world. And it came. In a rushing wave of joy it answered the song of her heart and the champion of the Labyrinth was flooded with powers she did not understand but knew she needed as she needed air to live.

And following the magic did Caellum Mac Aillen of Sidhe Finnachaidh finally unearth the daughter of his daughter. Upon finding her, rage gripped his cold heart and if his faithless wife had been alive surely he would have punished her for the time he had lost with his descendents, but the rage cooled beneath the weight of his fear as he studied the girl who was his flesh and blood. She was ailing. The magick was too strong and she was now in a world that could not sustain her. She could be happy in the Underground. He could offer her all the whimsies her heart desired, and he could shape her magick, guide her into her birthright as he should have been allowed. Looking at the woman child who so resembled his heart, for such did Cainche remain despite her treachery, he came to realize that it was time to bring his child home, his Sarah.


	2. Chapter 1

**Title:** Coming of Age  
**Summary:** Sarah discovers her family's secrets, and must now deal with the aftermath of the Labyrinth, and her family's desire to marry her off now that she's come of age.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Labyrinth. All characters associated with the movie belong to Jim Henson and whoever else has rights to them, and I make no money off of this.

***Special Note-Please read:** Rather than including footnotes at the end of every chapter I will be posting a full addendum of my _(admitedly minimal) _research notes at the _end _of the fic, including a list of foreign words and pronunciations where possible. I do this in the hopes of limiting any more of these inconvenient author notes that quite possibly none of you are reading anyway. Chapters will be relatively short (and sometimes slow as a result) but I will try to keep the updates fairly regular in exchange. Also I am still looking for a beta. So any mistakes you find are completely my fault and I will of course welcome any suggestions that will improve the story.*****

**Chapter 1**

"Ohhh, where is it?" Sarah Williams tore through her dresser, flinging stuff haphazardly through the air behind her. There were several items she would cringe about when she picked them up later, but right now she couldn't be bothered. She was too busy looking for the book. It wasn't just any book, this small red leather bound book. It was too dangerous to give away and too important to her to simply destroy since she had discovered the truth. She had hidden it away in her dresser beneath layers of cotton and lace, certain that no one would bother going through her personal things in order to find it. The problem was it wasn't where she remembered putting it.

"No, no, no, no, _no_. This can't be happening." Sarah put a hand to her forehead and stared around wildly. She'd looked everywhere. Digging, dumping, poking, none of it made any difference. A deep breath in and out, then another, and then she was ready to start thinking logically about it. The book wasn't hidden with her underwear. She hadn't moved it to one of the other drawers in her dresser and forgot about it since those had all been dumped out over her bed. It wasn't in the small boxes she had dragged out of the attic. And it wasn't squirreled away between the books on _any_ of the book shelves in the house, just waiting for someone to mistake it for an innocent book and say the words to wish an innocent child away. It had to be here somewhere.

There really was no help for it she decided. She shifted the pile of fairytales off the seat of her vanity and sat down. There was only one other way to find something if nothing else worked. She closed her eyes for a second and then threw her hands up into the air in defeat. Then she opened her eyes and let her gaze fall to where her bed was littered with clothes and books. She let out a frustrated huff. Theatrically giving up searching and letting your eyes fall on the very item you had been looking for was apparently less effective than she had hoped.

"It always works in the movies," she grumbled, propping her head in her hand. Maybe it was a good thing that she couldn't find the book. Wait a minute. Poking out from beneath the corner of her mattress, almost hidden by her comforter was the barest hint of red. Flinging herself to the floor next to the bed she tugged at the corner poking out until the book popped free. She sat back with her back against her wall to stare at the plain red book. She lightly ran a finger over the simple gold lettering on the front of the book. All of that and it was stuffed under her mattress the entire time? How did it get there?

The Labyrinth. Nearly three years now and she still had dreams of her time there. She'd been having them for so long that she was no longer quite sure which were memories and which were the wild imaginings she had while asleep. Aside from the hot and sweaty visions of the Goblin King, she knew for a fact that those existed completely in her head. She traced her lips when her finger came to the end of the h. Definitely he had never kissed her like that. She leaned her head back against the wall as a slow wave of dizziness lapped at the edge of her senses.

"Sarah? Sarah! What on God's green earth happened in here?" Karen stood framed in the doorway with a horrified expression on her face. Sarah stared at her dully for a second before she remembered that the older woman had asked her a question.

"I was looking for something. I'll put it all back."

"You most certainly will," Karen's words were sharp. "In fact you'll have it done before we get home or you are going to be grounded for the next month."

"Don't you have a party you're supposed to be going to? If you don't hurry you're going to be late," Sarah ignored her step-mother's ire in favor of evaluating the net worth of this evening's attire. Karen was wearing a white linen Chanel suit with pearls draped around her neck and a matching pair of earrings. This outfit alone was worth several hundred dollars, that wasn't even counting the other outfits that dominated the closet in her father and Karen's room. Idly Sarah wondered why it was that she was never paid for babysitting when they obviously had the money to spare.

"We'll be back by midnight," Karen spoke stiffly.

"I'll try to keep Toby alive till then," Sarah muttered to the now closed door. Once more her head dropped back against the wall. In the years since she stopped being quite the selfish child who ran the Labyrinth she still couldn't bring her self to stand her step-mother. She sighed. You'd figure there was some sort of magic trick that would have extended her tolerance for Toby to his mother, but no. Moving slowly Sarah stood up and started dumping her undergarments back into the dresser. She couldn't be bothered to fold them all so she just flung them in. It's not like anyone else would get to see any wrinkles in them, she reasoned tiredly.

She slumped back down on the vanity chair and stared around at the mess wondering why finding the damn book had been so important to begin with. It had been almost a compulsion as soon as she had realized it was missing. Ah well. She'd picked up the important things. Surely everything else could wait a little while longer? She could set Toby up in front of the TV and take a nap while he was absorbed with Voltron. If she ordered pizza then the night would be even better since Toby would be happy he didn't have to eat her cooking and she wouldn't have to cook. Then she could clean up this mess when she woke up.

"Sarah."

Her head whipped around at the sound of her name and she found herself staring at the mirror that didn't reflect her self but revealed instead a wizened and lumpy face attached to a neck that seemed too small to support the creature's large head. She had met the aged dwarf when _He_ had come to steal Toby away from her, and they had kept in touch over the years. Bushy white eyebrows were drawn close together over a bulbous nose, and large hands fussed with the leather strap across his chest that held the pouch at his side in place.

"Hoggle!" Sarah smiled to see her friend in the mirror, but his serious expression wiped the smile away. "What's the matter?"

"The matter? Nuthin', nuthin'. I just wanted to see you is all," he tried to return her smile, but it was a weak attempt at best and Sarah wasn't the least bit fooled.

"No, seriously, what's wrong?"

The dwarf let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know. Something is goin' on around here. It isn't something I understand, but it's making me nervous. For some reason I needed to make sure you were alright where you was at."

Sarah shook her head, not understanding. "What do you mean? If something isn't right down there then why are you worried abut me?"

"I don't know what it is, but there's something as not right about what's going on. Fancy dressed fae are coming to the castle, and more and more goblins are disappearing with no good reason. Even the Labyrinth itself is being different, more temperamental if you can imagine _that_. I just thought I'd warn you to watch yourself missy. Things going wrong down here has a tendency to spill over up there, and as you have stronger ties to the Underground than regular folk, you're like to be affected quicker than most."

"Is that all?"

"Believe me, that's enough," the dwarf snorted. Sarah sighed.

"I think we've had a conversation like this before. You're probably right this time too. Okay, I promise to keep an eye out for anything weird."

"See that you do. And that's all I'm gonna say on the matter."

Sarah grinned at the grumpy little gardener. "Well then, since we have the serious business out of the way, how are Ludo and Sir Didymus doing?"

"Ah, well, Didymus is still seeing to the bridge in the Bog of Eternal Stench with Ambrosius. And _He's_ let Ludo moved into the stone part of the maze. Ludo's taken to being friends with the false alarms. I caught him playing chess with one of them the other day."

She couldn't keep the giggle that bubbled out at the mental image of the giant furry beast playing chess with a talking stone head.

"Ha, I bet he's enjoying that!"

"Seems to be, but I think he's still learning the rules and the rest of the false alarms trying to give advice was just confusing him."

"What about you? Is there anything new going on with you?"

"Nuthin' new with me unless you count the fact that I've been getting some of the goblins to help keep those nasty fairies from running over the outer wall. Certainly makes things easier. Least it does on the days I can keep them on track. How have things been with you of late?"

A pounding on the door interrupted them before the girl could answer.

"Oops. I gotta go Hoggle. I'm supposed to be taking care of Toby while Dad and Karen are out again."

"So that's the little one eh? Alright we can talk more later."

"Right! I'll see you later. Give Ludo and Sir Didymus my love okay?"

"Will do."

Hoggle disappeared from the mirror leaving her own reflection staring back. Sarah swept a quick glance around the room to make sure she didn't miss any of her underwear.

"Sawah!" a plaintive little voice accompanied this round of knocking.

"You can come in Toby," she called out. A golden haired child slipped through the door and stared wide eyed at the mess of her room. She gave the child a crooked grin.

"So, what do you want to do tonight, Tobester?"

##

"Vanessa, I'd like you to meet…" There was a delicate pause as Karen tried to remember how to pronounce the man's name. He had a thick accent and she wasn't quite sure she was able to say it right without mangling it.

Just in from Ireland on family business, her husband had asked her to keep his client entertained when he was dragged away. The beautiful man wore the black Armani suit as though he was born to it. Casual assurance and sex appeal practically dripped from every line of his body. Dark hair was brushed back from his forehead, and his startling deep blue eyes swept over the two women. He raised Vanessa's hand and bowed slightly from the waist in order to brush a light kiss over the back of her knuckles.

Vanessa was a widower of over a year now and was finally starting to look at having a relationship again. She was a lovely woman, despite the network of laugh lines around her eyes and her bottle blonde hair. Karen was attempting to introduce her long time friend, Vanessa Hodgkin to the Irishman, who also happened to be a widower in the hopes that they would hit it off. It didn't hurt that he was quite charming and very attractive besides. Attractive didn't quite do him justice Karen decided as she regarded the man she had pulled her friend over to meet.

He gave a faint smile at the American woman's floundering and generously decided to help her out.

"Sure and it's certain you wound me, Mrs. Williams," he spoke with a faintly teasing purr. "The name is Caellum Díneartach McAillen, and it's crushed I am to know that I'm so easily forgotten."


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary:** Sarah discovers her family's secrets, and must now deal with the aftermath of the Labyrinth, and her family's desire to marry her off now that she's come of age.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Labyrinth. All characters associated with the movie belong to Jim Henson and whoever else has rights to them, and I make no money off of this.  
**Special thanks:** To all of the readers who have been keeping with me so far. I do appreciate the feedback as it definitely keeps me going in my writing. So thank you all for your encouragement, and kind words.

**Chapter 2**

It was the night of restless souls when the veils between worlds was thin that the Goblin King rode forth on the back of his phooka steed and paid visit to the land above Sidhe Finnachaidh where the humans gathered for celebration. The Goblin King was a merry maker who, with great generosity, graced the lowly humans with the magnificent sound of his harp. The honor of the gesture was lost on the humans as the sound of the harp would enchant even the strongest of will to sleep. Enraged at their lack of respect the Goblin Kind struck out at the ungrateful wretches, bathing them with the flames of his breath. As the rays of dawn drew golden across the land he declared that he would return the next year to see that they would be ready to appreciate the gift he offered.

And so he returned the next Samhain and once again brought the joyous sound of his music to the mass of ignorant mortals who gathered above his land. Once more they succumbed to the wondrous magick of his harp. Once more he bathed them in the flames of his breath in retribution for their lack of respect. As the rays of dawn drew golden across the land did the King of Goblins once more declare his intent to return the next year to grace them with the glory of his songs.

Thus it went, for nigh on three and twenty years the Goblin King ascended to the mortal plain and attempted to share his joy with the humans, and for an equal time they insulted his efforts. Finally the Fianna, quite fearful of the wrath of the faery king they begged the help of a hero to save them from his fiery breath. The hero pledged his strength to the defeat of the wicked bard but in exchange for his effort they would make him their lord and would swear their fealty to him. The warrior was fair of hair, and graced with the wisdom imparted by the Salmon of Knowledge which he had tasted while in training under the druid called Finnegas. Within the crowd of worshippers gathered in revel on the Hill of Tara did the hero wait patiently for the arrival of the Goblin King on his phooka steed.

Finally did the time arrive when the Goblin King made his appearance and graced the mortals with the wondrous joy of his music. As it had for years past, the music set the ungrateful mortals to sleep and the poor King of Goblins would find still no appreciation for his efforts. Unknowing that amongst the revelers was the hero of the humans who had stayed awake with a spear pressed against his forehead hid beneath his cloak, the Goblin King grew angry. When the Goblin King lashed out with his fiery breath did the human Fionn Mac Cumhaill rush to his feet, and flinging aside the cloak did he impale the poor Goblin King upon his spear. Falling back the Goblin King grabbed the mane of his phooka and his loyal subject did drag his dying body back to the Underground.

Solemn were the days in which the King of Goblins lay on his death bed, fighting the poison of the evil Fionn's spear. His son stayed at his bedside, tending him, and hearing his final wishes, as they both knew the king would not make it. The king asked that his land be divided with the most of it going to his subjects but with his son ruling the family holdings that had been in the line long before the land's magick had chosen him to be the King of Goblins.

His son brooded on ways to seek revenge for his loss, observing closely his now sworn enemy, the Fionn Mac Cumhaill. It was while doing so that he one day noticed the daughter of the pale king of the above dwellers who had murdered his father. Watching the girl he came to admire her fiery spirit and an idea began to build in his mind. The girl was a beauty to be sure with long black locks and spitting green eyes, her peach soft skin was graced with the faintest of blushes and she was much admired by several of the men of her tribe. Fionn Mac Cumhaill had plans to marry her off, but such a beauty was wasted on the mortal men who sought her favor.

And as lightening strikes, the son of Aillén Mac Midhna came to his plan, at once righteous and appropriate. He would demand her hand in compensation for his father's death, and the warrior king Fionn would know that his beloved daughter had birthed the heirs of his enemy or the fae lord would ask to lead the armies of the goblins in a war against her clan. Knowing that her family would not withstand the rage of the grieving goblin army, which vastly outnumbered the Fianna, did Cainche Mac Cumhaill agree to become the bride of Lord Caellum Díneartach Mac Aillen.

It was not only his blood family that desired revenge for the loss of Aillén Mac Midhna. While he lay dying the magick of the land itself cried out in grief and pushed itself up from the very soil in an attempt to reach its king, and the Goblin King did reach back to the land with his own magick, answering the call with the last of his strength. With his final breath Aillén Mac Midhna poured his magick back into the land that it would have strength to hold its own until it was able to find a ruler that would take his place, for as much as he loved his son he knew the boy's heart was not with the Goblin Kingdom and he knew the land's magick would not have him as its new leader even had he desired the position.

Many felt the surge of magick pour out from the territory that was now unclaimed and many wanted this power for their own. Since there was no one on the throne many decided that perhaps they would have the chance to claim it. When a Goblin King was not immediately revealed, for all believed that the goblins chose the King, several fae attempted to sway the creatures that they might claim the land, but the goblins steadfastly refused the bribes and threats laid down. When the rebuffed fae moved with armies on the walls of the now unruled land they were met with fierce opposition from the goblins who declared they would only submit to the land's choice of their new king as that was the way it was done. Land that had once been filled with rolling green hills and seas of green forest turned into dust and stone. Carefully tended gardens became overrun with wild plants and pleasant forests became grim and foreboding in the wake of the lord's death.

Years passed and the goblins themselves began to change, no longer silly carefree creatures they grew to be dark and shifty things with malicious tricks that they turned against humans and even other fae. And the stones grew and became twisting and twining hallways of ever changing paths of danger to the fae who sought to conquer the kingdom. The newly risen Labyrinth allowed the goblins to guard its walls and the pathways, as there were none among the fae who were going to reside in power over them, not even the King Oberon or the Queen Titania were deemed worthy of the position. The magick of the land and that of King Aillén of the Goblins entwined into a single strand of magick, the love and grief and disappointment in both the Underground and Aboveground turning itself inward, tighter and tighter until the power compressed into a physical form. A blinding light shot up from the center of the Labyrinth, a backlash of energy sweeping over the whole of the faery. Upon the fading of the light all of the Underground discovered that there in heart of the Labyrinth was now a castle. And confused were the fae for quite suddenly did the sound of celebration ring out from the land of Goblins as it had not for several years now.

At last there was a new Goblin King.

##

"Lord Mac Aillén is here to see you sire."

Jareth stared around at his throne room, taking in the horde of insensible subjects littering the room. His goblins were sprawled all about the place, several groaning in the wake of their party. Ale was spilled across the floors and the chickens were taking up space again. The throne room was normally better kept than this but last night another baby had been claimed by the Labyrinth and such days were always held as cause for celebration within the goblin kingdom. Jareth tapped his riding crop against his boot heel, and glowered at his Guard Captain, one of the few standing goblins in his whole palace no doubt.

"See him to my study and have a servant send up a tray of wine, if you can find any servant that is. Tell him I will be with him shortly."

"As you will, Your Majesty."

Last night had been the first baby to be wished away since… _her_. It was rare anymore for a baby to wished away from the mortal realm as so few of the humans even knew of the old stories and even fewer gave them any credence. The boy who had wished away his own son had gotten less than halfway through the Labyrinth before he had given up in favor of the dreams he was offered. The child wasn't abused as so many children were but he could never have been loved as he deserved by the family he had been born to, both parents were just children themselves.

A crystal formed and rolled across Jareth's knuckles until with a flick of his wrist it rest upon the tips of his fingers. The child was being tended in the nursery, sleeping peacefully in the wake of the previous night's excitement. Jareth felt his face soften slightly at the sight. Always he'd had a weakness for the children who came to live amongst the land of the goblins. He shook the crystal to clear its image and tossed the ball into the air even as he surged to his feet. In place of the grey breeches and white poet shirt he now wore a suit of black breeches with a black jacket much like his favored brown one. The cape trailing behind him was a deep midnight blue. It as not his Goblin armor but it was perhaps the closest thing to, and he was quite certain that Caellum would understand his meaning without him having to say a word.

A shower of glitter and he appeared in his study facing the son of his predecessor.

"Lord Mac Aillén. Such a surprise to see you here so soon after our last meeting."

Jareth tipped his head and poured a glass of wine for his guest and himself, silently sending up thanks that his guard captain was able to rouse a servant. He could have conjured wine up with magick but truly nothing conjured could hold up against the goblin made wine, and he wanted nothing that would put him on a lesser footing for this meeting. He gestured for the other man to take a seat, and the fae lord did so with an unselfconscious grace that made Jareth want to bare his teeth. He was not accustomed to those who come to his land on business to seem so unconcerned with encountering his ire. He had been known to send even the fae into the Bog of Stench should they anger him unduly.

"Doubtless it is," deep blue eyes laughed at him over the rim of his glass. The older man was dressed in a clothes designed for the Above; a grey suit with a crisp white shirt, and flat shoes that polished to a shine. "Yet I thought it best to drop in and visit with you now as I have just recently met the girl, and had chance to think on what I have learned of her."

"You've finally met your grand daughter?" Jareth asked sharply. The Goblin King hadn't been able to keep track of the girl. Only in owl form was he able to watch her and in the wake of repairing the damage caused by her presence he had not had enough time to spare to returning above ground physically to indulge his hobby of keeping track of the Williams children.

"Aye, and her brother as well. Strange little fellow if you ask me. Quite sharp for his age but easy enough to keep entertained. I think he rather likes me." Caellum stretched out his legs in front of him and cross his ankles as he settled in more comfortably. He twirled the wine in his glass and held it beneath his lips for a second before taking a savoring sip. Goblin wine was the best in all of the Underworld and a primary source of outside income, though truthfully the economy of the Goblin lands required very little supplementation as the magic provided most of his peoples' needs.

"What makes you think that?"

"He kept asking me to say, 'They're after me lucky charms.' I never did find out what that one was about, since my Sarah changed the subject before I could ask. But the conversation got on the subject of leprechauns. I ended up telling him the story of the human that captured Lúí the Lephrechaun and the way he saved his gold from being claimed by the greedy human who tried to steal it. Certainly they both seemed entertained."

Jareth's lips twitched at the other man's story and he decided that he would send a goblin to play with the little boy that day.

"Sounds like you are settling right in with ingratiating yourself with the family. It shouldn't be too long before you manage to get her Underground. Do you know how you'll agree to get her to come with you?"

"It's not that far that I've gotten. It needs to be soon. Already I've seen that she's been getting headaches and dizzy spells when she does casual summoning. It's not even sure of it I am that she knows what she's doing when she calls her power, but the headaches… those are a matter of concern."

"Headaches already? She could die if they get too strong," Jareth snapped.

"Are you thinking I don't know that?" Caellum snapped right back. Jareth leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed, determined that he would not give into the urge to start breaking stuff until the older man was gone.

"You need to get her here soon. Have you given any thought to my proposal?"

"Surely I have," the dark haired fae took a deep breath and blew it out. "I've decided that I am going to offer her hand in marriage to Conlaoch."

There was a beat of disbelieving silence.

"You plan to offer her to _Conlaoch_?"


	4. Chapter 3

**Title:** Coming of Age  
**Summary:** Sarah discovers her family's secrets, and must now deal with the aftermath of the Labyrinth, and her family's desire to marry her off now that she's come of age.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Labyrinth. All characters associated with the movie belong to Jim Henson and whoever else has rights to them, and I make no money off of this.  
**Special thanks: **to all my readers, especially those of you who took the time to review. Your words are most appreciated, and I find them very encouraging. And an extra thanks to Karol Wolfe for checking over previous chapters and advice.

**Chapter 3**

"Mr. McAillen, what a surprise! Dad isn't here right now if you're looking for him," Sarah gestured the man standing on her porch in as she spoke.

"I'm not," Caellum answered shortly.

"Oh, well then why are you here?"

"It's you I've come to speak with Sarah. It's important."

"Me?" Sarah shook her head, confused. She still held her brush and a hair tie in one hand as she had been in the middle of fixing her hair when the doorbell rang. Hastily she pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail while she tried to think what kinds of drinks they had to offer. Sarah was supposed to run to the store later that day to get more juice and milk since they were out of one and low on the other, so it was coffee or water. There were some danishes if he wanted something to eat. Sarah was about to ask him if he wanted anything but he was already heading to the counter with the coffee pot.

Caellum grabbed some cups from the coffee holder tree where they were hanging and tipped coffee into each cup. He added a small amount of sugar to one and left it black. Without asking the Irishman added three spoons of sugar and a spoon of creamer, just the way Sarah preferred her coffee. She gave him a strange look when she realized that he knew her that well. That was her favorite cup. Karen had gotten it her for her last birthday since a caffeine addiction seemed to be the one thing that they both had in common. It truly had been a thoughtful gift, considering that the design took her personal tastes into account. Although Sarah rather suspected that Toby had more to do with the pensive looking fairy sitting curled up on a leaf on the side of the cup than Karen it still had been a nice gift for a change.

"Did you know that we go to great lengths to get coffee in the Underground?"

Sarah stared at the offered cup like it was a snake. She jumped back from him and with a scuttling maneuver she managed to place the table firmly between them. Caellum seemed amused at her hasty retreat, even as something like approval flashed through his deep blue eyes. Then gave a dismissive roll of his shoulders and set the cup on the table toward the side where Sarah was now standing.

The dark fae didn't feel especially surprised at her reaction given her last experience with the Underground, although he had hoped her lingering friendship with some of Jareth's little goblins would have made her more open to the idea of a visit without ulterior motives- except he did have some ulterior motives so she had every right to be wary he acknowledge to himself ruefully.

"You're not minding that I have a seat are you?" he asked lightly. Without waiting for an answer he poured himself into the chair across from where she stood with the brush raised defensively as though it were a flashing silver sword instead of a cheap bit of plastic with bristles.

She watched him with a new eye noticing that his movements were too fluid, too graceful to be human. Small things that she had barely noticed at the time started to click into place, like the way the business her father represented flourished despite the fact that Mr. McAillen seemed completely unconcerned with running it. And when someone lost something the man had an incredible luck in finding the missing items. And there was that time he had stopped to talk with her and Toby one day. She hadn't realized it at the time, but if he hadn't stopped the two of them right then they would have been hit by the car that sped through the stoplight where they would have been crossing.

He had to want something. People from the Underground didn't come up to strike up friendships with random human families. And he knew that she knew about the Underground, so he had to know about her time in the Labyrinth. Did _He_ send Caellum to- Toby! He was here to steal her brother? But… if he were after Toby, then wouldn't he know that Toby was spending the day with Karen after she got out of her appointment this morning? So, Caellum was here to get revenge against her for the Goblin King since he… wasn't able to come after her himself? No, that doesn't make sense. The Irishman wouldn't have spent so much time with her family or would be threatening her if he were here for the Goblin King. Right? So why _was_ he here? There was only one way to find out for sure.

"Who are you? _What_ are you?" she asked coldly. She brandished her hairbrush. "And what do you want with me?"

"I am Caellum Díneartach Mac Aillen, Lord of the Sidhe Finnachaidh."

"Lord of… geeze that's a mouthful. Well that answers one question, so let's hear the other two," she raised her chin and glared down at him.

"What I am is your grandfather, and what it is I'm trying to do is save your life," he answered gently.

She lowered the brush. She stared. She shook her head.

"You want to run that one by me again?"

"The headaches have been bothering you for a while now, and its worse that it's going to get if you don't get them treated properly."

"What?" Sarah asked blankly.

"The headaches will kill you."

"We're going to have to discuss that one more in depth, but can we go back to the bit about you being from the Underground, and specifically my grandfather?"

"Your mother's mother was my wife until she left the Underground trying to return to the Aboveground. Succeeding if it's more technically speaking you want to get on the matter."

"My grandmother was your wife? My grandfather… he died when I was little. No, no that's not possible. Grandma loved him too much to be married to anyone else."

Sarah's instinctive protest at his words made Caellum's teeth clench, tightening his jaw. His fingers convulsed around his cup so hard that ceramic shattered. Coffee spilled all over his hands and across the tabletop. He barely noticed Sarah's gasp of alarm. The brush clattered to the tiled floor. Her frantically rush over to a drawer to yank out some dishtowels barely registered. He watched the steaming liquid mingling with blood as red as any human's.

That vicious bitch. Even in death she managed to punish him for loving her.

Caellum had learned about his daughter. He had discovered the career she had chosen to pursue. He knew that Cainche had passed away shortly after Sarah was born. She'd never told their daughter the truth, and Clindhna had only known the love of that pathetic little human. She had been fed tales of their love and the way that Bran McMorna had followed shortly after her death because he couldn't wait to be with her. And those stories had passed to his grand daughter, had fed Sarah's ideas of true love. The idea of a love so strong and faithful that even death couldn't separate them, an idea that Sarah clung to in the face of her mother's abandonment.

He started when he noticed Sarah kneeling in front of him, a towel cupped under his hands and she was dabbing at his cuts to try and see if there were any shards in his hands.

"Oh my god, are you alright?" Sarah watched him with worry.

He gave her a reassuring smile that felt forced even to him. The girl was bound to see the weakness of the attempt so he let it go. His gaze dropped to their hands. There was something appropriate about the contact they were sharing at that second, a symbolism that he felt. It was as though the universe was warning them that only in pain would they ever be united. She would be even more upset than she felt right now once she learned the extent of what would be required to save her life, and that would hurt him in turn. Then he would lose her to the husband he'd had to choose for her.

"Incredible isn't it? The fae are driven by desire, and sometimes by the dreams that the magick whispers to our souls. Its part of our nature and it's like as what made your mother restless when you were young. And yet… And yet for all that only a human has the ability to break a vow made, and it was her humanity that allowed her to walk away as surely as it allowed your grandmother to walk away from me."

There was a hurt look on her face at his observation. Yet for all that he felt his own pain was showing through the lines on his own face he did not bother apologizing for his words were nothing less than truth. The combination of fae and human blood would not have insured a human raised child to hold the personal honor that was so important to the fae. That sense of honor truly well and truly bound them, weighing heavily against any personal desires and instincts. They could slip and slide around the intent if the promise offered wasn't worded carefully, but honor bound they were once terms were set. Humans had once held to a similar standard of behavior, but even then they'd a _choice_, it was willingness to keep their promises rather than compulsions that trapped them.

He flexed his fingers and the shards that were in his hands pulled free of his flesh and hovered in the air. The ceramic remains floated up to greet them and soon the cup was fused back together. The coffee was a waste so he banished the liquid with a wave of one hand. He took the cloth from Sarah's hands and wiped the remaining blood off his fingers.

"Don't concern yourself with me. Such small damage, it's already healing." And it was. Skin knitted together, forming small red lines that faded to white. Then even the faint lines disappeared. Sarah stared at his hands as he wiped them again to clean off the last of the blood. He folded the towel up and handed her material that was as clean and dry as it had been when she pulled it from the drawer. She stared at the material for a beat before she accepted it.

"I… my grandmother left you? What… I mean, why? What happened?"

He couldn't prevent himself from raising his hand, of reaching out. He caught himself before he could complete the gesture. He'd no right to comfort the pain he had inflicted, and she'd not accept it in any event. He gazed down at her levelly. She hesitated for a second, her eyes flicking to the clean towel and then to the reassembled coffee cup before landing once more on his face. She stood up and pulled out the chair next to him and turned it so she was facing him. Her own coffee sat forgotten on the other side of the table.

"Is it truth you desire or comfort?"

"Truth. Please," she added when he hesitated.

"As you will," he gave in. That invisible rush of power tingled through his limbs, until it settled into his chest wrapped in a warm pulsing band around his very heart. He accepted her terms, and they were set for him. It was no longer a choice.

"What you have to understand little girl," he ignored the way she bristled at the term, "is that the fae do not love as humans love. It's not an emotion that comes easy to us. Never will some fae feel it, and it's a relief to them that they haven't as it rarely turns out well for those of us that do experience it."

Sarah shook her head. She looked like she was struggling to understand the implications of what he was saying. He waited patiently for the question that was forming on her tongue.

"What do you mean the fae don't love like humans? Why wouldn't they want love? Everyone wants someone to love. Don't they?"

"It truly is so simple for you isn't it? Surely you humans love in so many ways. You love your family. You love your friends. You love your pets. You love your lovers and your spouses. Your companions may die or you may fall out of love, but even if it is fleeting that love is still there, still real.

It's different for us, Sarah. Less is having a relationship among the fae a matter of affection than it is a matter possession. And how unfortunate it is to have strong emotions knowing that there are so few who can return your feelings. Do you know what that's like to feel but knowing that you are unlikely to ever find anyone who can return it?"

"No, I don't," Sarah admitted simply. Not being loved when you were in love? Knowing that the person wasn't even capable of loving you and that you'll never find anyone else who will either because they can't either? It was… not something she even wanted to_ try_ to understand. Except a small secret part of her _could_ understand it, and that part of her felt as though no one in this world could love as she did. She ruthlessly squashed that spark of recognition.

"I was surely one of the unfortunate ones. My father was forever playing for the humans Above our realm. Playing for them, playing with them. He was more caring than most of the fae, but there was a cruelty in him. For that the humans had their best warrior murder him. It was this way that I discovered Cainche. She was the daughter of the man who killed my father. She was like no one in the Underground, all fiery passion trapped in a soft and delicate body. She was incredible. And I, fool that I am, fell to her feet without her even knowing it. Such pride she had and such a childlike self absorption also. Yes, for all that her body was grown she was still such a child. She knew she was special and not even the men of her clan were free from her scorn when she felt it warranted. I knew she would never accept my paying court to her, so…"

"What happened then? Why did she marry you if you were enemies?" Sarah leaned forward, lips parted. She was falling into the story, trapped by curiosity.

It was another weakness of their race, the need to see a story through to the end even if you knew you would like the ending. Certainly the Goblin King held the same weakness. He knew that Sarah would play the story as it was meant to be told. He knew that she would walk away and yet he had to see the story through. Caellum had no such guide, and he wasn't sure whether that was a blessing or not. He had offered her the truth though and he would see the story through as honestly as he was able to. The girl deserved that much.

"I can be cruel in my own way. I wanted her, needed her so much. I told myself it was revenge for my father's death. It's not often that I lie to myself, but in this I was convincing. And not only to me, but to everyone who knew what had happened. I went to her, and I tricked her into accepting my vow. I was not kind about it. I told her she had the choice of becoming my wife, or allowing her clan to be slaughtered by the goblin army."

The dark haired girl leaned away from him, another unconscious rejection of him. He cringed internally at the look on her face, but he kept his own countenance impassive. Lord and Lady above, she truly looked just like her grandmother. Cainche looked just as that whenever she'd felt repulsed by him.

"You tricked her? You threatened her with an _army_ to get her to marry you?!"

Caellum gave her a grim smile.

"I said we don't love often, but perhaps I forgot to mention how fierce it is when we do. I loved my father, Sarah. Goblins are ferociously loyal creatures, and they would have happily rallied beneath my banner had I decided to wage war against the humans. It wasn't the threat of war that I was tricking her about. It's certain I would have run her people into the ground, every last one of them had she refused me. It was my reason for marrying her I deceived her about. That I allowed her to think it was revenge that _drove_ me, that was the trick."

"That is so twisted. Of course she wouldn't be able to love you if she thought it didn't mean anything to you. How could you not tell her the truth?" Sarah asked, leaning forward once more. There was a demand and entreaty in every line of her body. Surely she didn't understand, and she was trying to desperately, Caellum noted with a heavy sigh.

"I regret that it was necessary but it was the only way I could see to claim her. I told you I needed her. I needed in ways that words can only fail to express. I had hoped that once she was in my arms she would realize- that she would understand what she meant to me. I did everything within my power to make her happy. _Everything_. Clothes, jewels, power, knowledge, her dreams, my lands, my body, my heart… I offered everything that I had and everything that I was to her to do with as she willed. I thought she had accepted it. When our daughter was born… I loved her too. So fierce was my pride and my joy," he trailed off, remembering.

"So what happened? Why would she leave you?"

He had felt so certain that he truly had won Cainche's favor. He would never be powerful compared to some of the fae, but he'd had a family that he would love and protect forever. Why would she have left him? Was her heart so firmly attached to a land that couldn't return her fondness? Her people were long since dead by the time their child was born. There was nothing left for her Above, and yet she returned to that world. Had she but asked he would have given her that as well. There was nothing in the Underground that had been as important to him as his family. He would have left it all behind and moved with her Above. Even if the loss of his magick killed him, he would have gladly offered his life to keep her happy. So what _did _happen?

He leaned back in his chair, his elbow pressing heavily on the table. He laid his knuckles against his lips as he tried to come up with an answer. He had asked himself that very question for years. He'd never have an answer as his beautiful, treacherous wife had taken it with her to the grave. He flicked his fingers out in a helpless gesture.

"I don't know," he admitted softly. "One day I thought everything was right with the world and the next night she gathered our child up and fled. I never knew why. I never had the chance to ask."

They were both silent for a while after that. Sarah glanced about the kitchen as she tried to sort through things in her mind. Her eyes fell on the empty and full coffee mugs and she gathered them both up and wandered over to the sink to rinse them out. She moved back to the coffee maker and poured them both fresh cups. She took them to the table and sat back down on the chair next to Mr. McAillen.

"And she moved here and married my grandfather. That means he wasn't my mother's father… so I'm a quarter fae. What does that mean for me?"

"It's more than a quarter you are," he corrected.

"Uhm, my math isn't that great but I'm pretty sure that half of half is a quarter," Sarah insisted.

"Truly. Yet Cainche had lived in my realm for more than a century by our reckoning of these things, plenty enough time to be changed by the magick. Never truly fae, it was very close to that she became. That is why she died when you were so young. The magick fills one's body, even a human once you have been exposed to it for such a time you will have a hard time surviving without it. It was only luck that Clidhna had been a babe and too young for the magick to call for her when Cainche fled with her. Mere hours after our child's birth, my stubborn wife had no sense to be fleeing in that state. And yet had she stayed any longer your mother would have become attached to the land and the power that it grants. As it was it was it was something she'd felt before she knew anything else. It matters not what Cildhna, what _Linda_ gains in this world, she will never have what she will always seek."

"Why didn't you go to her and tell her what she was?"

"What makes you think I did not? Do you believe I would leave my blood, my _child_ in this world had she not made that choice to stay? And she will not suffer anything but frustrated dreams for that rejection. She'll not understand that what she chases in this realm is not what she truly desires, but unlike you her power has not manifested. She's a woman grown and hasn't the need for the magick that you do. Its respect I have to offer to her wishes, though it pains me to do so."

"Mom is safe because she never really had her magic right? So it sounds like her fairy powers stayed completely dormant. But I'm even less fae than she was and I was actually born, you know, up here. So why would I be more affected than she was?"

"Please refrain from calling what you're having as fairy powers," he winced.

She grinned at him. "Bothers you does it?"

He chose to ignore that one. It was the brand of humor peculiar to their bloodline and he knew better than to indulge it.

"When you invited yourself to the Underground you were old enough that the land recognized you, it welcomed you and it claimed you as one of its own. Those powers you got would have remained dormant also had you never had experienced magick, never would it have come to life. And though you left the Underground the magick continues to reach out to you."

"So you're saying I_ do_ have magic powers?" Sarah's eyes went wide and she pointed to herself. At his nod she grabbed up her cup from the table. She took a huge gulp of her coffee and set it back on the table with a clunk. "I don't know what to think about that."

Caellum also took a sip of his own coffee but didn't near slam the cup down because the liquid was too precious to waste. The only drink that was worth more in the Underground was Goblin wine. Say what you want about the ugly creatures, but Jareth's little monsters knew how to make the good stuff, and that was a truth no one would argue.

"Aye, you do have magick now. But I should warn you that it is dangerous to keep calling the power when you have no contact with the land."

"Why? Oh geeze I feel like a kid asking why all the time, but this is crazy."

"Not so crazy as much as magickal," he smiled again but the smile faded once more as he grew serious. "But it's dangerous for several reasons."

Sarah waved her hand, "Give me the most salient points, and then you can give me the bad news."

"And how is it you're thinking I'm going to be offering bad news?"

"Because that's how these things go. There is too much information which means too many reasons that can provide too many excuses all of which can only lead up to bad news," the teen pointed out dryly.

"Such a suspicious thing you are. A correct one, but suspicious. Where ever did you come up with logic like that?" Caellum stared at her with interest.

"I started thinking like that while I was in the Labyrinth. When I got back home I started watching people a bit more closely. I've gotten better at understanding patterns in the few years since." He blinked at that, but then tilted his head with that small smile that she was starting to like. It seemed such a natural expression for her grandfather.

Grandfather, huh? It was so weird to think of him like that when he looked younger than her father. And yet she felt, without a doubt, that everything he had told her was truth. She didn't feel as she had when she was lost in the dreams _He_ had sent her, and she didn't get the feeling she had when she knew that someone in her mundane life was lying. She had spidey senses about these things, and they right now they weren't tingling.

Sarah knew she probably should feel more suspicious than she did even if she knew he was telling the truth, but… There was a part of her that wanted more from life than going to college to get her MRS and then settling down to a boring life of tending to a husband, two-point-five children and the dog that stays inside the white picket fence. All of that would happen if she kept on doing what was expected of her. Except the dog, because it would probably escape from the fence and go around digging up other people's gardens and dragging her into what could possibly turn out to be amusing lawn wars with her neighbors that her goblin buddies would get involved in. Which didn't sound too bad really, but there was that whole things could go horribly wrong vibe he'd been giving off…

"Ok, list of dangers and bad news. Go," she gestured firmly for him to speak. He nodded thoughtfully and then began to tick off his points on his fingers.

"Summoning the magick from the Underground while living here can be traced by the fae and there are several who would consider summoning the magick between realms as stealing magick from our world. And technically they would be right since magick used up here will not return to the faery world and weakens the land. If they found you they would kill you. The magick is tied closely to the land, to be away from the land and summoning the magick will put a strain on your body that will kill you, which is what your headaches are leading up to. As you grow closer to death your magick will become less stable and it's a danger to allow it to progress that far."

Caellum hesitated. He decided that now was perhaps not the best time to bring the danger to her family into the equation. The last time he'd explained the threat to a woman's family to bend her to his will it had failed spectacularly. And Sarah shared too many traits with her grandmother for him to be willing to risk it.

"Wow. That um, is bad news."

"Those were the dangers. The bad news is that in order to keep from dying you will have to the reconnect with the land and cannot be allowed outside interference. Until you do so your power will be unstable, which the other fae'll not have a tolerance for and will enforce the laws to ensure that you aren't posing a threat to society."

"I'm a threat? What it's dangerous for me in this world, and I'm going to be dangerous in your world? It sounds like I'm not going to win this one no matter where I go, so why shouldn't I just stay here?"

He'd not anticipated Sarah being every inch as arrogant and stubborn as his wife. Except it was worse coming from his descendent as she had been raised in a ridiculous society that insisted on allowing women to fill roles that they were ill suited for in order to appease their need to feel equal to men. He grabbed onto his self control and held on tightly.

"The only way to stabilize your magick would be to anchor your powers with the aid of a lord, and you would have to remain bound until you do have an open flow of power and an ability to control the extra power you're to be gaining from your connections."

"Translation please?" she frowned. She had an idea of where this was going but she did have some confusion over the details and she wanted the full picture before she decided to freak out.

"You have to return to the Underground. You'll not be able to return Above until you'll not die from leaving the Underground, but your family will be long dead before you do so. The other fae'll not allow you any rights until you are fully bound to the land, and you'll be punished if you're resistant to being bound. Best case scenario in that event is you'll be kept strictly as breeding stock, worst case is to be killed. The only way you can anchor in order to begin the connection be bound to the land is -"

"Is what?" she glared at him. He heaved a heavy sigh. This was not going to be fun he knew, but there was no way around it. He sat up straight and stared down his nose at the child before him.

Caellum answered through clenched teeth. "The only way you can be fully bound to the land is by marrying that land's lord."

"My- Did you just say- You have no right to try to marry me off against my will!" Sarah screeched and pushed away from the table. He matched her stance and stood facing her down. They were equally willful and unused to considering the feelings of others. Anger stretched through the air between them as a tightly strung as a bow string, and very near snapping.

"As the patriarch of your family line it's a truth that I have _every _right to choose a husband for you. You're grandmother may have been able to walk away because of her human blood, but its damned I'll be before I allow you to be so selfish as that heartless bitch! I've already chosen your husband and unless it's responsible for the death of your family you wish to be you'll do as I say you ungrateful brat!" he roared back.

Sarah gasped and paled, then just as quickly turned red as jagged edged rage tore at her throat. She shoved up into his face, not caring who he was or what kind of magic powers he had. Her voice was hissing venom when she managed to respond.

"You're threatening my family? The same way you threatened _her_ family because you can't get your way otherwise? It's no wonder my grandmother left you, you_**coward**__!_"

The world exploded in a furious shower of glass and splinters.


	5. Chapter 4

**Title:** Coming of Age  
**Summary:** Sarah discovers her family's secrets, and must now deal with the aftermath of the Labyrinth, and her family's desire to marry her off now that she's come of age.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Labyrinth. All characters associated with the movie belong to Jim Henson and whoever else has rights to them, and I make no money off of this.  
**Special thanks: **to all my readers, especially those of you who took the time to review. Your words are most appreciated, and I find them very encouraging. And an extra thanks to Karol Wolfe and Genghis Khan for checking over previous chapters and advice.

**Special Note:** Most of the names are insignificant to the story. Mostly they are either vague mythological references or puns for my own amusement. So to those of you alarmed by the strange names, don't be. I will be posting my research at the end of the story and all pronunciations and translations I have will be available at that point, along with explanations and links of my sources.

**Chapter 4**

Long ago it was, so long that even the eldest within the Underground can scarce remember such legends there was a great and powerful king. The king, Baoithín of Murias, delighted in spending nights walking and teaching his heir, Bláthmacc, for Bláthmacc was all that remained of Ríonach, the wife that he had loved beyond all in the world. Frequently he would take his son out to show him the wonders of the land that was to be his, to teach him the will of the gods that had been wrought upon the world that he would one day inherit. It was on just such a night that Baoithín and Bláthmacc were walking beneath the stars and sharing banter as was their wont, when Baoithín turned to his son and spake such, "Joy sings in my heart at the thought of leaving this world knowing that mine place will be filled by such a son as you."

"Father, you should not say such things! An eternity it will be before such a thing occurs, if ever." Bláthmacc protested with much alarm, for he loved his father greatly.

"Why doest thou protest so mightily at the thought of my passing? Such weakness surely was not harvested from seed of mine, and neither did Ríonach hold such notions."

And pale was Bláthmacc at the censure in his father's words for such an accusation of weakness in the face of his parents' willing acceptance of the will of the gods was an insult of grievous magnitude. Face screwed up with rage, Bláthmacc proclaimed that if his father felt him so weak then he should claim his lands now and send Baoithín to join his mother Ríonach in the death that he so eagerly sought. Baoithín grew wroth at the insolence in the words of his son.

And so the two began to argue vehemently over the insult, years passed as the argument grew ever more heated until Baoithín, drawing his sword, ordered his son to rescind his words or accept defeat, for he would never allow his lands to fall into the hands of such a dishonorable cur. Bláthmacc answered his father's challenge with his own blade, and thus did the argument grow into a fight. The two kings, for such had Bláthmacc's followers crowned him, gathered armies beneath their banners and their fight grew into a battle. The battle grew into a war, and the war raged on until the armies of both kings were utterly destroyed, as were the great cities that their fight had washed over.

Murias was flooded with the blood of both armies until the blood sank into the sea, dragging the land with it. The land of Falias was much grieved for its loss so that it wrapped itself in a blanket of snow and refused to provide welcome to any man that may desire to set foot upon it again. Drought did claim Finias in place of man, and Gorias was dusted with the death of its kings. The Tuatha Dé Danaan were no longer welcome in the dying cities and so those that remained alive after the great war left in search of the great land that their great ancestor Nemed had discovered.

Filled with great rage was the High King of Faery and he cursed the feuding father and son for wasting so much life over an argument that had lasted for so long that neither even recalled what had begun their argument. The King listened to their excuses until he managed to discern that their fight had started over the Bláthmacc's decision to usurp his father's lands, and so his power. The king cursed them both to the form of ravens that they may watch death for the rest of eternity. They would ever be forced contemplate the waste that foolishness wrought as they would know the very reason each life they watched lost.

To ensure that never again would kinsmen turn against each other in such a way the High King summoned all courts within his realm so that he might pronounce his decision to prevent needless bloodshed over battles of ascension. Every family, shaken by the loss of their lands accepted the High King's words and each family willingly took blood oath that never would a family conflict be allowed to continue past the members it occurred between, that once challenge was issued the resolution of that conflict would be binding…

##

Sarah moaned and blinked as the soft light hit her eyes. She raised a hand to shield them and took stock of her immediate impressions. Her back was pressing into the softest surface imaginable and the ceiling above her was made of sweeping swirls of honey and cinnamon colored wood that twisted into tightly laced branches as her squinting eyes adjusted to what she was seeing. She gaped up at the sight. She'd never seen anything like it in her life. She gingerly pushed herself up to glance around.

There were tapestries hanging from small branches that protruded from the wall in soft forest scenes with dragons and unicorns barely visible in the thick leaves within the cloth. The wooden floor was ringed as a tree stump would be but looked as smooth as glass with none of the ragged marks that a saw would have left behind. There were a few rugs scattered around the floor, all of them done in soft greens and gold with hints of pale pink and red. She peered hard at the rug and once again the image jumped out at her like one of those eye bending puzzles. Roses climbed branches as interlaced as the ones that made up the ceiling. The colors matched the bed she was laying in… which wasn't a bed so much as a gigantic rose that had been filled with a downy mattress.

"I'm obviously not in Kansas anymore," she muttered. Her hands clutched her head as the noise of her own voice banged against her skull like a steal hammer. She dropped back down to the soft bed and curled up. She was too busy trying not to puke to care that she was apparently somewhere in the Underground.

'_My kingdom for Excedrin,'_ she thought to herself as the wave of pain began to pass. A glass was pressed into her hands and she opened her mouth to take a sip. A cool sweet liquid slid down her throat and washed away the lingering pain so quickly that it was as though she had never felt ill to begin with. The glass was taken away by whoever had handed it to her in the first place. She lay there and marveled at the absence of the migraine.

"What happened?" she whispered when she felt it might be safe to talk again. She could now speak without her head trying to fall off.

"You challenged Lord Caellum's authority," a cheerful voice piped up in answer.

Sarah pushed herself up to her elbows and turned her head. _Brown._ That was the immediate word that sprang to mind. The little creature sat on a chair swinging booted feet that didn't come anywhere near reaching the floor back and forth. Her skin was the color of milk chocolate and her hair a softer caramel color. Brown eyes that sparkled were matched by a dimple in her cheek. A soft brown dress that looked like it may be made of suede was tied at the waist with a simple belt that matched her hair. The tip of one of her pointed ears flicked as she stared right back at Sarah with great interest.

"What are you?" Sarah asked before her mind caught up with her mouth.

"I'm a brownie."

"Somehow, I can believe that. Uhm… hi. I'm Sarah."

"Hi Sarah! My name is Alastríonaoibheann."

The brown girl must have noticed Sarah's panic, because she doubled over in bubbling laughter. A slender little hand waved. "But don't worry, my human family used to call me Alice."

"Alice. Your human family?" Sarah pushed herself the rest of the way up.

"Well, the human family that my family traveled to America with just ages ago. They all died in a fire though, along with my parents, so I came back home to live with my grandmother," Alice's face fell, but she managed to perk up again. "Lord Caellum thought you might be more comfortable having a servant who had lived Aboveground. Especially since I was born in the U.S too, he thought I might be better able to deal with your questions. Speaking of which, do you have any questions?"

"I can think of a few. Let's start with 'What the hell am I doing here?' shall we?"

"You challenged Lord Caellum's authority," Alice repeated.

"You've said that before. What does that mean, exactly?"

"Um… well when a fae challenges the authority of their family head with magick and looses then any rights that they had are forfeit and they are subject to the rules laid down by the lord or lady in question. It's an old law that was established by the very first High King and it's rather magically binding. Any laws that may have protected you from being brought back to the Underworld by your grandfather became void when you tried, and failed, to kill him. So that's what you're doing here."

Green eyes stared at the brown girl in consternation. "I didn't try to kill anyone!"

"No, of course not. You just used a violent burst of magick to slam your grandfather into the refrigerator and pin him there while you ripped every sharp edged object in the kitchen loose and flung it at him. In any event you _lost_. You really shouldn't have tried to attack him when your ties to the land were so strained. You could have died."

"I could have… Well if I nearly killed him once then I can do it again. Where is he?" she announced grimly. Sarah swung her long legs over the edge of the bed until she sat facing Alice.

"Actually you can't do it again. Weren't you listening?" the brown girl shook her head.

"Apparently I wasn't. Run the details by me again."

"The last time a family feud spilled over faery lands it nearly wiped us all out. The law was made so that children who challenged their parents' authority would only be able to do it once. It limits the in-fighting because everyone knows they will only ever get one shot if they even consider trying. You can't attack him again, your own magick will refuse to answer you if you try to call it to do him harm. You've already lost to him with magick once. That was your one shot at getting free of his rule, and it's gone."

"_What?!"_ If there had been glass in the windows they would have rattled in their panes. As it was Sarah's shriek rocked the vase of roses on the nightstand. Alice slapped her hands over her ears and cringed away from her. Sarah caught the gesture and forced herself to calm down. Alice looked up cautiously, slowly uncurling from herself.

"Sorry. I'm sorry. I just, I didn't know and now… He wants to marry me off you know?"

"And you were raised a human, with their values," understanding filled her soft brown eyes. "I'm so sorry. This won't be easy for you to get used to. He did say you would be angry that you were here when you woke up."

"Angry?" Sarah scoffed. Her teeth clenched around her next words. "Boy is he a master of understatement."

Alice stared at her in solemn silence.

"You know, you were really sick when you got here. He called all of the healers under his rule to tend to you. He said it didn't matter how angry you got because he wanted you alive more than he wanted you to like him. He really does care about you Sarah. I know its high handed compared to what you're used to, but he really doesn't know any other way to keep you alive."

Anything that Sarah might have said to that was lost to the knock on the door. Alice jumped from her chair.

"I'll get it. You just wait here!" she smiled brightly before racing to the door. Someone spoke softly to the brownie and she nodded and then closed the door. She was more subdued when she came back to where Sarah was now standing. Alice was little bigger than a child and she had to crane her head to look up at Sarah.

"Your grandfather wants to speak with you. Eláir is supposed to escort you to our Lord. Do you want me to come with you?"

"I'd appreciate that. After all, I might need someone to stop me from trying to stab him with something," Sarah answered grimly.

The small creature grabbed Sarah's hand in her small brown one and tugged the Sarah toward the door.

"Eláir is waiting then," the brownie said.

Eláir turned out to be an elf with pale skin and soothing blue eyes. At least Sarah assumed he was an elf. He was willowy and slender, with flowing black hair and delicately pointed ears. He wore a simple gray jerkin with slightly darker gray trousers tucked into black boots. His undershirt was a flowing black that reminded Sarah of one worn by _Him_. He bowed low when she came out of the room and he waited patiently while she stared at him, bemused.

"I'm to escort you to Lord Mac Aillen, My Lady. If it's ready you are?"

A melodious tenor washed over Sarah in soothing wave of peace. She suddenly felt a deep sense of calm. It didn't matter that she was going to meet her grandfather, or that she had attacked him the last time they'd been in the same room together. It was too beautiful a day to be bothered by such details. And- wait a minute…

That wasn't right… she _wasn't_ calm. She was pissed off. She should be, but she wasn't. Something was lulling her into a gentle pool of serenity. It wasn't right. She struggled against the feeling. Her grandfather was trying to marry her off. He stole her from her home; he'd threatened her family… Her father would be sad. Karen might miss her, a bit, maybe, but…_Toby!_ Finally she found her anger and she used it to drag herself out of the overwhelming calmness.

"Stop it!" she hissed angrily at the elf.

"Stop? What exactly is it that you're wanting me to stop My Lady?" he tilted his head in apparent confusion.

"Stop making me calm! I'm angry and I'm not going to let some trumped up elf magic ruin my angry!" she stomped her foot to emphasize her point.

"It's your forgiveness I'll be having to ask for as I am unable to 'stop it'," Eláir answered gently.

A tug on her t-shirt had Sarah looking down at Alice.

"He's telling the truth Sarah. His mother is a naiad and he inherited the maolaigh magick from her. I've known him most my life and he really_ can't_ turn off his calming influence. The Soothing is as much a part of his body as his arms or his face."

"Tell me my _grandfather_ didn't know of this little trick when he decided to send him to collect me," Sarah sneered with her arms crossing over her chest.

Blue eyes blinked at her slowly and Sarah felt a tug of calmness washing away the jagged edges of her irritation.

"Truly it's no idea I have what his Lordship had planned upon when he asked me to collect you. To bring you to him was all I was told."

"Take me to him, and I want you to stay as far away as possible as you can while you do so," Sarah gritted from between her teeth. "Please."

"As you will." The elf was perturbed by neither her directions nor her manner. As promised he kept a distance from her as he led them through the winding halls that seemed to be the inside of a gigantic tree. Arching windows revealed flowered branches interweaved to create pathways between the larger branches that also had windows revealed to be hallways and balconies. A water fall fell down the center of a divergence in what appeared to be part of the trunk of the tree and spilled into a thick white mist that covered the entire ground as far as one could see. Several rainbows arched over the water and disappeared into the mist. Sarah stared in wonder at the sight as she walked.

Alice spoke quietly, pointing out various structures as they passed. The balconies over there below them lead to the nursery where all of the younger fae gathered together while the older ones went to teachings. The large doors above the water fall opened to the Gathering Hall where they held celebrations. It couldn't be seen from the angle they were walking along but Alice assured Sarah that it was there and it was quite magnificent. The giant branch across the way functioned as a courtyard as that was the path they had to take to get to the doors to the Gathering Hall. Eláir occasionally added his own comments to Alice's explanations, and somehow despite his distance his words always carried clearly to them.

Soon they were being led into a room by the elf that bowed and then took his leave. Despite Sarah's best efforts the walk amongst the serene beauty of the tree palace she found herself in and the exposure to the Soothing had worn away her anger until she couldn't even feel terribly mad at her grandfather. She figured Caellum would say something stupid and she would remember that she was angry at him, but at that very instant it was hard to imagine feeling horribly worked up at the prospect.

Caellum's sharp blue eyes regarded the two females standing in the middle of the floor who stared silently back at him.

"Sure and it's certain I wasn't expecting Alice to accompany you, but perhaps it's for the best. Please, have a seat, the both of you."

"Was there something you wanted?" Sarah asked purposely making her tone rude. She may not feel quite as antagonistic as she probably should, but she had no intention of making things easy for the man.

"Only to finish the explanation I was interrupted in the middle of," Caellum answered coolly.

"By all means, talk."

"It's an apology I owe you, granddaughter. I spoke ill chosen words in my frustration at your stubbornness. Sarah, it's not your family I was threatening when I said that you would be responsible for their deaths. I truly meant that you would be responsible for their deaths had you stayed Aboveground," Caellum explained as gently as he knew how.

Sarah stared at him. Another tug on her sleeve drew her attention to Alice once more.

"Another truth Sarah. If you had stayed up there your magick would have sought a source when it couldn't reach the land. It could have latched onto your family and drained their life forces. Or it could cause backlashes if you lost control that could kill your family," the brownie spoke solemnly.

"Even if it didn't kill your family, the backlashes could kill you. And a female faery who dies away from their land becomes a-"

"-a bean sidhe! Oh Sarah that would be awful!" Alice cried. "You would be trapped haunting your family and you would sing their death! And even after their death you would be tied to the property, and you'd haunt anyone else who came to live in your family's home. You'd end up singing death for the restof eternity!"

"Alastríonaoibheann," Sarah's grandfather warned pointedly.

"Oops!" Alice clapped her hand over her mouth.

"I'd… my family…" Sarah sat stunned at this revelation.

"What I did was necessary to protect you and them. I admit it's fond of your mortal family I've grown. I'd ill desire to see any harm come to them."

Sarah's head twisted back and forth between the two as her mind attempted to absorb what she was just told. The expressions on their faces told her that they were quite serious. Even if they hadn't looked so serious, she could sense the truth in their words as she had when Caellum had first approached her about being her grandfather. Her family dead… because of her? She couldn't even picture a world without them. It was-no. Her mind skittered away from the idea and latched onto a different train of thought. She spoke the only words she could form through numb lips.

"I don't want to get married. I'm not ready for something like that."

"You are of age and as you are no longer a child you will fulfill your duties. That includes doing as you are told. I've already made arrangements with a lord who can keep you safe while you master your magic. You _will _get married."

"And I don't want my husband chosen for me."

"Conlaoch is a fine man, and he'll treat you well, I know."

One of Alice's small hands shot out to grip Sarah's tightly. Sarah looked down to see Alice staring at her grandfather with eyes the size of saucers. On her small face, they looked more like dinner plates. The other hand was still held over her mouth from where she'd placed them before, but the astonishment on her face spoke volumes. Sarah knew she wouldn't be able to get any honest information out of Alice on the matter while Caellum was sitting right there, so she resolved to interrogate the brownie the second she got her alone.

Green eyes swiveled up to stare into blue.

"I don't want to get married," Sarah repeated blankly.

"I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter. I'll not stand by and allow you to become offered for breeding amongst our soldiers. If it is any consolation, since the arrangements are in place you will be granted a grace period. This will allow you time to get to know your intended."

He held up one slender fingered hand when Sarah opened her mouth in preparation of the explosion that he knew was building in the back of her throat. He quite recognized the look that was beginning to replace the shock she was already fighting off. Her initial response to most things she didn't want to hear was anger and as he too was recovering from their previous encounter. He really didn't want to hear it.

"It's been a lot to take in all in one setting. Please don't react. Go to your room, consider all of your options and when you realize what choice you have in the matter then I will welcome you back to discuss the matter more fully. Alice, please escort my granddaughter back to her room."

Silently Sarah clamped her lips together and glared at the fae lord. She stood up with Alice and followed her toward the door. Unfortunately there were no sharp objects laying about the room that she could attack Caellum with. This time she was fairly certain she would be actively trying to kill him if there had been any.

"Sarah." The young woman paused without turning around. Alice turned from the doorway where she was standing to watch the two of them. "It's hating I am to have to force this upon you. Such a child by human standards, this can't be easy on you, and for that I certainly am sorry."

Sarah didn't bother to respond or even turn to acknowledge his words. She continued walking. Alice kept looking back and forth between the two in worry. It really was an unfortunate situation but there was nothing she could do about it and she knew it. There was nothing any of them could do about it. Magick ruled their lives and there was no arguing with the magick.

Silently the two made their way back toward the room Sarah woke up in. About halfway there Sarah grabbed Alice by the shoulder and forced her to stop walking.

"What was that reaction you had to this Conlaoch character my grandfather wants me to marry all about?"

Alice wrung her hands and shot a nervous look around the corridor they were moving through.

"Sarah, please, let's not do this here. Let's get back to your bedroom first."

"And then you'll tell me what's wrong?" Sarah pressed.

"I promise, I promise. I'll pinky swear if you want, but let's keep walking okay?"

Sarah let the matter drop. Soon enough they were in Sarah's bedroom and she spun around to stare at the brownie expectantly. Alice was pacing back and forth with her hands wringing nervously.

"Conlaoch is a powerful lord, and even with his powers he's one of the most sought after men in the Underground. Lord Caellum must have done some pretty fast talking to even get him to _consider_ the suit. Conlaoch. Unbelievable. Your grandfather understands some of your differences from living Aboveground, but this is… He's treating your marriage as though you were born to the Underground. You can't marry Conlaoch, Sarah!"

"I have no intention to," she answered evenly, "although I have to admit that I am curious about why you happen to agree with me."

"Look, women of the Underground, we're taught about the will of magick. I mean we know that certain aspects of our personalities are shaped by the way magick manifests in us. It doesn't matter who we marry because we're taught how to compensate for our spouse's magick and their personality."

"You're going to have to explain that one to me," Sarah ran a tired hand over her face. She rather suspected that she wasn't going to like the answer, but she wasn't sure she had the energy to get worked up about it. She really was starting to feel exhausted by _everything_.

"Take Eláir, for instance. He was born of a high elf and a water nymph. If you were being promised to him," Sarah watched in fascination as Alice's cheeks started to look a dark chocolate, "well you would have to remember that his nature is water. If he were to make a decision you couldn't argue because his will would flow over yours and wear it down. You saw the way that it doesn't matter where he's standing you can somehow always hear him when he's addressing you right? That's because of the way water amplifies sound. And you could never speak bad about him, for the same reason. So if you married him, you'd have to keep his magickal quirks in mind. Not that that'd be a difficulty."

"You like him," Sarah realized with a sly grin. Alice's cheeks got even darker.

"I never said that!"

"You didn't have to. It's written all over your face," Sarah taunted with a smile, "and that wasn't an actual denial."

"He's not interested in a little nobody servant girl."

"Did he tell you that himself?" Sarah asked curiously.

"The point," Alice continued through clenched teeth, "was that you'd have to remember to keep the powers of your husband in mind in order to have a harmonious relationship."

"I'm not getting married."

"Lord Caellum gave you a direct order that you have to get married. You can't defy his will. We discussed this earlier," Alice explained patiently.

"And this is a problem because? I don't see why I should have to change in any event," Sarah huffed and flung herself onto the rose bed.

"Your husband would also be expected to keep your own powers and temperament in mind. But Sarah, this is Conlaoch."

"Okay, still not getting to the bad with Conlaoch that I wouldn't have to worry about with a different husband," Sarah stared stonily up at ceiling.

"He can't give way in battle and he can never refuse a challenge. It's this horrible geas his mother put on him when he was young so that he would have to kill his father. He's been under it for so long that it's as much a part of his temperament as his own magick. Look at the facts Sarah. You lost control of your magick the first time your grandfather said something you didn't like. The first time you get mad at Conlaoch and blow up at him like that the magick he is under is going to count that as a challenge, and he'll have to kill you."

"So I marry him and get angry, I die. I don't marry him; I'm forced to become a whore. I go back Aboveground, my family dies. There really is no winning here for me is there?" Sarah responded dully.

"No! No, there has to be another option here, we just need to think of it. I can't believe Lord Caellum thinks you'd be safe with him. To be fair, Conlaoch _is_ normally a great guy, but with your background, marriage to him would practically be a death sentence. None of us even consider challenging him. It's sort of taken for granted that no one ever would. Seriously you do _not _have the training to temper your anger."

Alice continued to pace furiously, worry lining her face. She paused to cock her head as a thought struck her.

"I've got it!" the brownie announced with an expression of wonder at her own brilliance.

Sarah raised her head to glance over. Alice was bouncing on her toes in excitement. Sarah couldn't stop the amusement from stealing into her voice.

"You planning on sharing your idea?"

"Okay, so Lord Caellum said he picked out your husband right? You lost to him so you have to do as he says. You can't disobey a direct order from him, but technically he hasn't directly ordered you to marry Conlaoch. Not specifically I mean. All he said was that you _have_ to get married."

"So how does that help my situation exactly?" Sarah dropped head back to her pillow. It really was a wonderfully comfortable bed. Maybe if she stayed in it forever this ridiculous marriage stuff would go away.

"Because as long as he doesn't make it a direct order you can't be forced to marry a specific man against your will. You still have to get married, but as it stands right this second you can still have a choice in the matter."

"Wonderful. All I have to do is figure out how to keep him from making it a direct order the second he figures out that I am planning on defying him," Sarah deadpanned.

"Run away."

"_What?!" _

Sarah practically gave herself whiplash when she shot upright to stare at her friend.

"Run away. Your grandmother did, didn't she? Go find your own husband. Once you've um…" here Alice faltered with a blush.

"Once I've been banged by my husband," Sarah provided helpfully.

"Then it's binding and there's nothing anyone can do about it." There was a pause. "Goodness, do regular humans actually speak like that?"

"I uh, had some friends on the football team. You pick up all sorts of nifty phrases when you mostly hang out with high school boys."

"Ah. Well, we need to start planning. We should get you some supplies and then we need to figure out the best way to sneak you out."

"Now let's see," Alice pressed a finger to her chin as she thought. "My cousin works in the kitchen so it wouldn't be any trouble to get you any food. Oh, and I have some money saved back that you could borrow. All that's really left is to figure out how to get you out without getting caught."

A knock on the door interrupted Alice's plotting. The two girls fell silent as an alarmed look passed between them. Alice went to see who it was. Sarah was close behind.

"Eláir! Um… what are you doing here?" Alice nervously asked the elf standing in the hallway.

"Forgive me, ladies. I couldn't help but overhear…" Here his eyes flicked to Alice. Her eyes widened as a horrified look swept over her face when she realized that meant that he'd heard Sarah's teasing about her crush. She jerked her eyes away to stare at the floor as her face turned deep brown.

"That is to say, I thought perhaps you'd be needing assistance with your planning."

"You want to help us?" Sarah asked in surprise. A wave of peaceful acceptance washed over her. Or perhaps it was his proximity and magic that was washing over her. Either way his help was more than welcome.

"To be sure, its aid that I'm offering," he bowed his head to Sarah's question.

Sarah noticed his eyes stray once more to the little brownie, and she suddenly wondered if Alice's interest was as one sided as the girl seemed to think it was.

"So what kind of aid are we talking about anyway?" Sarah asked calmly.

"Deep within the roots of the castle, there are paths to the lands beyond Finnachaidh. It's the only way out unguarded that I can lead you to."

"Okay, so how about I go gather some food and the money for you and we can meet somewhere after supper?" Alice suggested, finally getting over her shy enough to jump into the conversation.

"Is the way to the armory known to you?" Eláir asked the little brownie.

"Yeah, of course it is," she scoffed with her hands on her hips. Somehow despite her short stature she managed to stare the elf down. Apparently she figured that as long as he wasn't going to tease her about her affection she would be able to ignore the fact that he knew.

"Of course," he agreed with a faint smile. "If you'll be taking the lady down to the armory after supper I'll meet you there to lead the way. We can also grab a dagger or staff that the lady can be using to protect herself with while she travels, should she find herself in need."

"I hadn't even thought of that," Alice mumbled. "Okay, it sounds like we have a plan. You'd better get back to your post so you don't get busted Eláir. We'll meet up with you, and then…" Alice turned to Sarah, "And then we'll get you out of here so you can find your own way."

She flashed Sarah a bright grin.

##

"Alastríonaoibheann, where is Sarah?" Caellum stared out the window of the abandoned bedroom he'd decided to give to his granddaughter. He'd found the door standing open when he had come to check on her after she had not shown up to supper. He'd sent a messenger to search for the little brownie when he discovered that Sarah was no where to be found. He turned to regard his servant.

"I really couldn't say my lord."

She stared at her hands, not looking at him directly. Caellum watched her fidget with an impassive face. He pursed his lips as he went over his question in his head. The question was flawed he realized with an inner sigh. Alice was required to tell the truth to her master, but if he wasn't very explicit in his phrasing she would dance around the subject until they were both blue in the face.

"You don't know where she is." It wasn't a question so much as a statement of polite disbelief.

"She left, my lord. I don't know where she went."

"Let us try this again. Where did she intend to go and how did she leave?" Caellum asked, patience wearing.

"I don't know where she was going, my lord. She left through one of the root tunnels and I don't know where it leads out to," Alice answered dully.

"One of the- Which direction did you lead her?" Caellum asked her urgently.

"Um, there was orange light… west sir. The tunnels lead to the west."

"The west."

Caellum rubbed his forehead in what appeared to be an attempt to stave off a budding headache.

"She's in the Goblin Kingdom."


	6. Chapter 5

**Title:** Coming of Age  
**Summary:** Sarah discovers her family's secrets, and must now deal with the aftermath of the Labyrinth, and her family's desire to marry her off now that she's come of age.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Labyrinth. All characters associated with the movie belong to Jim Henson and whoever else has rights to them, and I make no money off of this.  
**Special thanks: **to all my readers, especially those of you who took the time to review. Your words are most appreciated, and I find them very encouraging.  
And apologies that this took so long to get out. You'd figure that getting a job would allow one to acquire a decent internet service, but alas... it steals all your time, inspiration, and you are still left without enough money to get an ISP that doesn't suck.

**Chapter 5**

The Lord of Finnachaidh stared down through the window of his office overlooking the courtyard that led to the Gathering Hall. He stood with his back straight and his hands clasped lightly behind his back. He'd finger combed his hair back away from his blue eyes several times and that was a sign of nerves that he was now consciously refraining from. It was, he decided, an inconvenience, this whole looking out for his grand daughter's wellbeing. He would be happy once she was married and he could wash his hands of the whole mess. He stared down at his people, temporarily ignoring the presence behind him on the other side of his desk. Several children were gathered around playing games with balls and hoops. Old elves sat in the corners playing chess and doubtlessly arguing as the endless old bastards were wont to do. How old did one have to truly be to actually appear to be aged? None of them would speak on it, and Caellum wondered if perhaps it was magick and not age that made them appear so. Women stood about gossiping amongst themselves and keeping a close eye on the children. Caellum couldn't blame them. A number of the little blighters had manipulative tendencies and would provoke the other children into mischief given half a chance.

Finally he turned his head to speak.

"Eláir, gather a small band of your most powerful, find Sarah."

"Milord, do you think it wise…?"

"Is it questioning my judgment you are?" Caellum asked in a silky, dangerous voice of his guard captain. He turned around completely to glare at the young half elf. He had always been one of Caellum's favorite and as such was granted much leeway, but Caellum would brook no arguments in this.

"Never Milord. It's concern I feel for the girl, not doubt of your intent. She's not aware of the ways of this world as yet… It's just, Sarah seems such unpredictable soul."

"Which is exactly why you must find her, and quickly. Jareth is even less predictable than my headstrong heir, and I'd hate to think of how he might react to finding her intruding on his land."

"Do you believe even our most power will be able to find her once the Goblin King has taken her under his snowy wings? Is it your belief we'll get to her before he will, Milord?"

"It's your damndest you'll be trying. You know what to do once you have located her."

"As you will it, Milord."

"Eláir," Caellum turned back to stare down upon the courtyard with unseeing eyes.

"Sir?"

"It's a possibility that you'll be gone for a time. Do give little Alastríonaoibheann a proper farewell before you head out."

Eláir made a choking noise.

"Sir?"

Caellum waved a hand in dismissal, "That will be all."

Eláir's blushing reflection in the glass bowed and slipped hastily through the door of Caellum's office.

Caellum smirked.

A knock sounded on the door mere moments after his guard captain's hurried retreat, pulling him from his thoughts. Caellum sent a thread of magick to tug open the door and then allowed it to sink away into the ringed floor. A servant stood hesitating on the threshold. She had blonde hair, big pink eyes, and a flowing blue dress with pink foxgloves comprising the shoulder straps and neckline. Caellum searched his mind for the girl's name. He knew this was Absynthe's daughter, but…

"Ah, Artemisia, was there something you needed?" he asked kindly.

The girl blushed prettily. She had a bit of a crush upon him and she frequently became nervous in his presence, so he always tried to be nice in the hopes that would put her at ease. It had yet to be a successful ploy as she remained quite jittery around him. Sure and it's certain her shyness made her difficult to remember as the poor little thing hardly spoke. She cleared her throat and cast her pretty pink eyes to the ground.

She mumbled something quietly.

"It's your forgiveness I'll be needing as I didn't quite catch that," Caellum spoke gently. He had to come around his desk and stride toward the door in order to catch her answer the second time around. She cleared her throat and flicked a glance up at him. Her blush deepened and she dropped her eyes back to the ground.

"You've a visitor, Milord," she repeated in her soft voice. Caellum repressed an irritated sigh.

"And what's the name of this visitor of mine?" he tilted his head slightly. He really was going to have to find another section of the castle for the girl to work in; she was a little too easily flustered. He'd have to be remembering to speak to Absynthe about that when he had this whole marriage deal settled.

"Um, it's Lord Conlaoch," she answered in a small voice.

"Sure and it would be him." Caellum closed his eyes. "Alright, little one, see him in, if you would please."

"That won't be necessary," a strong voice floated through the doorway and was quickly followed by the owner of said voice.

Conlaoch was a large and heavily muscled man. It was obvious that he intended this as an informal visit as he wore a plain blue jerkin threaded with simple gold designs and yellow trousers. There wasn't a sword or piece of armor in sight excepting the bracers on his wrists, Caellum noted with a sense of relief. He let his eyes continue to regard the other man, assessing. Conlaoch was an attractive man who appeared to be about four and twenty years by human standards. He had gleaming gold hair that he rarely covered and crystal blue eyes that danced with amusement. When he wasn't locked in combat he truly was a jovial fellow.

"Thank you Artemisia. You may leave."

The girl curtsied and scurried out of the room. She blushed and glanced shyly at the big golden man on her way out. Another crush in the making is what that was. It was like she creating a collection. Too many more men to fancy and she'd be completely insensible and useless besides. Caellum wanted to bang his head against something hard. Inefficient servants and the man who was supposedly going to marry his granddaughter if she wasn't missing; this was not one of his more relaxing days.

Caellum summoned a smile to his face as he tipped his head up to regard the man who was contracted to marry his Sarah.

"Ah Conlaoch, it's early you are."

"Well, I wanted a chance to meet your lovely Sarah." Large shoulders rolled in a shrug as the warrior gave Caellum an easy smile in return. Caellum turned toward his desk and gestured the man to follow and take a seat in the chair opposite the heavy wood.

"Yes, well… Would you be wanting some wine? I picked some up while I was at the Goblin Kingdom a week or so back."

"Goblin wine?" Conlaoch asked with interest, completely distracted from his thoughts of meeting his blushing bride to be.

##

"Eláir," Alice blinked up at the half elf, "what's the matter?"

It was Alice's day off and she'd been sleeping in. The little brownie had been content that Sarah was safely away before the girl could be forced into a disastrous marriage, for all that Lord Caellum had figured out what they'd done. So it was with much grumbling that she'd pulled on her robe to answer the knocking on her door.

"Our lord has decided to send a party after our wayward Sarah," Eláir announced without preamble.

"Oh no!" Alice slapped a hand over her mouth, suddenly feeling wide awake.

"Aye. And it's me who's expected to be leading the search," he answered.

Alice felt a wave of calmness as she listened to his words. Only partially his magick, she knew the rest was sheer trust in her friend's ability.

"Well that's alright then," she tilted her head to smile up at him. "I know you'll look out for Sarah's best interests."

"As best as I can I'll be doing so," he agreed softly. "But she's entered the Goblin Kingdom, and we might have to be guarding her from the Goblin King."

"But he's so powerful! What if you get hurt?" Calm mood gone, Alice stared up at her beautiful friend in worry. He was powerful, surprisingly so, but to go up against the Goblin King? Even King Oberon would be leery of such an undertaking, and Lord Caellum expected it of her Eláir? She was horrified.

"We're not planning on moving about in the open; mostly we'll be sticking to the waterways. It's less a concern that I'll be hurt than it's a concern that I could be gone for some time."

"Oh," Alice said in a small voice.

"I… There is something I was wanting to speak to you of before I head out."

Eláir hesitated. The brownie flicked her ear when she noticed her friend's uncharacteristic nervousness.

"Is something wrong?" Alice asked when he remained silent.

"No, not… It's difficult for me to be asking is all," he murmured sinking to one knee so that he was on eye level with the brownie.

"What is it?" Alice pulled the lapels of her golden robe tighter together with one fist. All sorts of scenarios raced through her mind. Someone could be sick and he could want her to look out for them. Oh no, what if it was Elainar? Sometimes the human's garbage managed to float down here and get tangled up in the naiads' waters. It made them sick for days afterward. Alice was fond of Elainar, and she hated seeing her get sick.

"Is it your mother? Did her pond get polluted again? Don't worry one bit, I'll look out for her while you're gone!" Alice nodded her head firmly at him to show him how serious she was. She'd make sure that the pond got cleaned good and proper and she would make sure that Elainar had plenty of food from the castle while she was recovering.

"What? No, it's not…"

Apparently giving up on finding the words to express what was bothering him Eláir reached out to cradle the back of her head with one slender hand and pulled her face closer to his. His other hand lifted to stroke her cheek with his thumb. His lips slanted lightly over hers as she let out a tiny gasp. Soothing magick washed over her in a wave of warm pleasure that streamed over every inch of her body, and inside of her into places that made her moan. She trembled beneath his magick, beneath his hands and raised her own hands to brace herself on his shoulders. His tongue flicked out to trace her bottom lip and then as quickly as he had captured her he pulled back.

Alice stared at him, dumbfounded.

"Just take care of yourself while I'm gone. I'll not be here to keep you out of trouble," he didn't meet her eyes as he spoke. He flowed to his feet and he strode down the hall before she ever had a chance to respond.

Alice sank against the doorway to watch his retreating form with luminous eyes. One hand was raised to her mouth, the other braced against her chest where she was certain that her heart was trying to turn into liquid and follow him down the hall. She rested her one of her burning cheeks against the cool wood of the door frame as a huge smile slowly spread over her face.

_He kissed her! Eláir kissed her!_

##

"Owww! Crap!"

Sarah turned her hands over to examine the raw scrapes that were starting to bleed. The knees of her jeans were stained, the left one turning red. She rather suspected that the knees the rough denim covered didn't look any better than her hands. In fact she could feel a trickle of blood sneaking its way down her calf even now. How she'd managed to skin her knees so bad without ripping her jeans was a complete mystery to her.

"Stupid trees," she muttered viciously.

Sarah was certain she could be perfectly content never to see another tree in her life after she was clear of this stretch. For all that they were pretty to look at from several hundred feet above, the tree roots made a difficult terrain to traverse. She kept tripping over twisted knots of wood and having to catch herself. At this point she'd be grateful to land in some nice tightly packed dirt. The landing would be rough but at least there would be no bark to slam into. She felt like she could even take a few jagged rocks with the dirt if it meant she wouldn't trip over anymore roots, or have to keep her balance as she walked across branches that spanned yet more mist that thankfully hid what she suspected would be a nasty drop. Finally, after an eternity of twining limbs of black and brown she found herself at the edge of a stretch of green. Land! She held her arms out and hurried as quickly as she safely could toward the inviting sight of grass. Finally she would be away from the demon tree that kept trying to kill her. As soon as her foot cleared the tapering limb she happily flung herself to the soft ground. Then she jerked upright and stared at the ground in horror.

It was _singing_!

She could feel vibrations running through her feet and up through her chest until her heart began to beat in time with the music in sympathy. Blades of grass beat together in a rolling rhythm of a doumbek played for a dancer to whirl to. Water slid against rocks like a bow over the strings of a violin, souring high notes that reached for the heavens. The air whistled through the air in a reedy fluttering song that could shame any pan pipes with its complexity. The sun stretched warming fingers toward her and played a tinkling tune over her skin as though she were the keys of a piano. It was like standing in the middle of an orchestra pit club, or a club, with the music blaring and pulsing through every inch of your body. Except this music wasn't in her ears, it was in her head, in her very bones. It was in the land itself, and the land was _elated_ that she was back.

She hopped up onto the tree root at her back. As her feet left the soft blades of grass she felt a fading wail thrum through her. She staggered, nearly losing her balance at the sensation of grief that had just rocked her heart. It wasn't just the land that ached at the loss of connection; it was something inside her that reached toward the land every bit as much as the land reached for her. It was… her magic, she realized with a start. Her magic was begging her to return to the land, to return to the music.

"Well, my grandfather did say that my magic would seek out a source of power and that it would try to bind itself to the land," Sarah muttered. It looked like once again the decision was beyond her. Closing her eyes she stepped back off the limb, allowing herself to be enveloped in the soaring music that rocked through her soul. She swayed in time with the sounds that swelled around her, deeper and deeper into the music she sank, as more sounds added to the first sounds she'd felt; twittering birds, fish flying through the air and splashing back into the water they had jumped out of, peaches growing on trees, and feet thundering over the land. Each creature, every single thing had a sound that swirled together inside her self.

Sarah found herself running forward, without even opening her eyes. There was no need to open her eyes. The land loved her, it would never let her come to harm. As she flitted over the land the music would soften and then grow overwhelming as she passed through different areas. She hadn't even realized that she'd been feeling poorly until she realized how wonderful she felt with the magic singing in her veins. She kept running until she found a place where the music swelled and stopped to begin spinning around, laughing aloud as she felt the music twining with her magic, and she felt herself growing strong, strong. She continued to dance and twirl with joy. Spinning and spinning, until _smack_!

Sarah felt her butt hit the ground with a soft thump, but she felt no real pain as the ground had softened and the grass thickened to protect her. Her head jerked up to glare at the obstacle she had collided with and she found her eyes traveling over dark boots and gray pants tightly molded to strong legs. Her heart began to sink as her eyes rose up over a suspiciously familiar brown leather jacket with trailing cape, but she boldly continued until she found herself staring into mismatched eyes of blue and gold framed by spikes of soft platinum hair. The land around them began laughing with smug pleasure. Its two favorite people in the world were gathered on its soil. The girl shook her head to try and keep from being distracted from the almost thoughts that threaded through the quietly humming music.

"Well hello Sarah."

"_You!_" she gasped. She was quite certain she looked ridiculous as she sat there gaping up at the gorgeous Goblin King, but she couldn't convince her limbs to move. He tilted his head to regard her with a wicked smirk.

"_Me!_" he mocked.

"What are _you _doing here?!" Sarah sputtered.

"I'm afraid that one of the risks of trespassing is running into the owner of the land that you are trespassing upon. Tell me Precious, whatever brought you to grace my humble kingdom with your raucous presence?"


End file.
